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Message: <blockquote data-quote="barsoomcore" data-source="post: 3887662" data-attributes="member: 812">Frying Pan, Fire: 1The long road to Al-Tizim, across leagues of heat-seared, featureless desert, wound at last through green fields and under spreading fruit trees, filling the air with exotic spices and the promise of cool water. Through gaps in the rows of trees the shining white walls of the ancient city hid its wonders from sight, excepting the highest domes and minarets that sparkled in the afternoon sunshine.Traffic, for weeks non-existent on the long road from Tallal, now choked the high road with wagons, carts, lowing beasts and chattering merchants.To say nothing of chattering local guides.Arrafin had brightened up immeasurably since they'd arrived in the environs of Al-Tizim. She'd been uncharacteristically quiet ever since leaving Tallal, and brushed off her friends' concerns by saying it was just sadness at missing her father, who'd been required to return to the Khadisan's army after the victory in the palace square.But as they entered the irrigated farmlands surrounding her hometown, the Naridic girl's voice rose up again, detailing histories of the ancient buildings and occasional ruins that lined the road."These pillars used to form a great colonnade that stretched all the way to the city gates."She gestured to indicate the spread of the ancient roof."They were raised by Caliph Hidash in 5th Era after the Five Brothers returned to Al-Tizim, to welcome home his son, Hussein the Tall, after the Wars of the Eastern Sudul.""Fascinating."Only Isaac bothered to respond to Arrafin's enthusiastic comentary. Zuleika and Etienne had dropped back to walk on their own, apart from the others, just as Nevid and Kaley had pulled away in front of them. Nevid seemed almost eager to get to Al-Tizim before the others.Elena walked along with Isaac and Arrafin, but she kept her mouth shut and spoke only in quiet grunts. Isaac really wished she'd contribute more to the conversation, but in all honesty he couldn't blame her.Their trip north had not been a convivial one. The notion that they had sent their enemy Kani to a fate truly worse than death at the well-manicured hands of the vampire Madame Yuek had not sat easily with anyone, and the group formerly of five friends had become instead a group of two couples, a Naridic patriot and two Saijadani who, more and more, were wondering just what the heck they were doing, caught in a war of liberation for a land that wasn't theirs. Splintered, all that seemed to be holding the group together was the narrow road to Al-Tizim.Isaac wondered what might happen to this group once they reached their destination."Oh! And see, that bit of wall emerging from that reservoir? That was destroyed in the assault of the first Khadisan against Caliph Reharr el-Habib."He hoped it would involve less history.*****The gates of Al-Tizim impressed even Etienne."Holy big."The true scale of the gleaming white walls of the city could only be appreciated by understanding that the tiny specks moving along its upper edge were guardsmen, peering down at the road far below. A vast gap in the wall yawned open to admit the hundreds of travellers pouring along the roadway both in and out of the greatest city in the Narid.Horns skirled, announcing some potentates' passage through the throng. Thousands of voices rose in a helter-skelter babble of pleading, arguing, bargaining, accusing -- a great whirlwind of human activity that swept travellers up and swallowed them without a ripple.Isaac felt plenty swallowed as they passed through the immense city wall. It was more like a lengthy tunnel, arched high overhead and the stones black with smoke, sweat and dust from centuries of travellers' passage. Kishak guards, tall spears in their left hands and their right hands resting on the hilts of their slim longswords, stood watching the endless stream of humanity pass by.It was a good reminder that they were not safe here. Al-Tizim was now a Kishak stronghold, under the fist of the Tyrant's Shade, and any attention they attracted to themselves now was sure to cause them trouble down the line.But they were nearly out of the gate tunnel and soon to disappear into the great faceless mass of the city."Why's Nevid going to talk to those guards? Isn't the idea to lie low?"Isaac watched with a growing sense of doom as Nevid and Kaley came to a stop in front of last guard at the gate, whose shinier accoutrements than the others meant he was more important, Isaac assumed.The guard listened to Nevid's speech and seemed to take little note, gesturing the Saijadani youth on, but Isaac saw the captain's eyes follow their friend into the crowd. Nevid twisted, looking for the others behind them, and Isaac took hold of Elena and Arrafin to guide them behind a passing cart."What? Isaac, what are you doing?""We don't want to be Nevid's friends just now. Trust me. Ow. And tell your owl to stop dive-bombing me."Not until they'd passed out into the vast market that swarmed around the inside of the gate did Isaac allow the cart to rumble by and allow Elena and Arrafin to scan the crowd. They reunited with Etienne and Zuleika first, and Isaac related what he'd seen Nevid doing.Etienne cursed."That dumb kid!""Etienne, how old are you?""What? I'm just saying."Zuleika chuckled sourly but pointed down one aisle of stalls and hysterical merchants, all shrieking at passers-by to stop and sample their one-of-a-kind bargains."There's Nevid."Reunited, the seven weary travellers made their way through the thronging streets, following Arrafin's eager directions."Here we are. My house."Arrafin gestured proudly to a two-story house of whitewashed stone and plaster, nestled in a quiet street along with innumerable other identical houses.Etienne expressed surprise that the door was unlocked, but Arrafin assured him that was the norm around here. Inside the house was surprisingly cool and well-kept, if a bit over-stuffed with books and papers. Every piece of furniture appeared to have been turned over to the job of holding masses of written material.Many of the documents looked ancient and fragile to Isaac's eye, but Arrafin unconcernedly brushed papers to the floor to find seating for her friends."Okay, so here we are. My home."Etienne nodded."It's great. But we should be looking for a way out of town. There's Kishaks everywhere here and it's only a matter of time before they figure out we're around.""Or maybe they already know. Nevid, what exactly did you tell that gate captain?"Nevid raised his eyebrows at Isaac's growling question."I told them I was a representative of the del Maraviez, and that I would be obliged if I could discuss some matters of great relevance to their commander."Six pairs of eyes stared at Nevid. Five blinked."Why?"Elena's tone made it clear she doubted there was a reasonable explanation.Nevid shrugged."It might be interesting to find out who's in charge here and what they think of the del Maraviez family. That information could be very useful.""It could also get us all killed, you little prat.""Oh, I doubt that."Only Kaley was still watching Nevid with the same expression she'd started the conversation. The others had all expanded on their facial vocabulary of shock and dismay."Did you tell them where we were staying?""Of course not. I also told them I was alone."Elena sighed."Well, what's done is done. Hopefully this won't come back to trouble us in the future."She looked over wryly as Isaac snorted."Because when have we ever been troubled by somebody else's bad decision?"Everyone except Kaley turned to look at Arrafin. The Naridic girl held up her hands."I just wanted some more spells. I didn't know crazy vampire women would be involved.""Hey, I wanted to ask something about that chick. The big Lohanese one."Zuleika pursed her lips as she considered her question."Is she? I mean. She kinda seems. You know. Into you. Kind of beyond friendly, if you know what I mean."Arrafin frowned."No. What? What's so funny, Elena?"Elena and Zuleika were chuckling at each other while Isaac looked quite horrified at what was being suggested. Etienne stared at Zuleika in confusion, then suddenly his expression cleared."You mean Madame Yuek thinks..?"He snorted. And then his expression cleared for a second time."That's kind of hot. I mean."Elena and Zuleika laughed all the harder.Arrafin glared at them all, indignant."What is so funny?"*****The ancient Grand Library of Emir Guran faced onto the plaza of the Fountain of Kings, looking out between the two immense stone banths and across the fountain itself at the Caliph's Palace.The fountain wasn't all that impressive, actually; a circular pool a hundred paces or so across, with a small pillar in the center from which four jets of water rose up in arcs that met the pool halfway to the edge.But the age of the entire plaza was obvious. The stones were weathered and incised with runes and iconographs no one any longer knew how to read. The lip of the pool was set with six hundred and twenty-three pink granite blocks, each an armspan across and numbered in seemingly random order, using the ancient numerals of the Karidish language.Arrafin and Nevid sat at a table in the high-vaulted Reading Room of the Library, pouring over a diagram of the fountain and its outer blocks. They bickered over translation but, Elena assumed, they made progress.Etienne and Zuleika had gone off to explore the city together, and, presumably, to find a little alone time. Elena didn't begrudge them their romance, though she wondered how long it could last. Zuleika was clearly looking for a replacement husband and somehow Elena didn't think Etienne was the marrying kind.Isaac was prowling the stacks, to Elena's surprise. Her burly friend harboured a sharper mind than she'd thought way back when they first met, but she was still surprised to find him interested in old books.Not her. Elena stifled a yawn and managed a smile at an excited explanation from Arrafin about something completely nonsensical.She thought again of Zuleika and Etienne off having a little romance and wondered ruefully when it might be her turn.Her thoughts shifted abruptly as she felt her entire body recoil with sudden horror. Shadow. Sorcery. And lots of it. There was a sudden screech from Arrafin's owl and the little bird leapt into the air.Elena found herself suddenly on her feet, backing away from the swirling darkness that erupted in the midst of the library.Out of the shadowy cyclone stepped a towering figure of crimson, gold and white white skin. Smiling."Oh, no.""Arrafin, darling. Aren't you pleased to see me?""Uh. Yes?"</blockquote>

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